The present invention relates to boxes for stowing breathing masks used on board airplanes to receive passenger masks. Such a box generally comprises a housing or frame which contains a network for distributing oxygen from a general pipe or from a chemical generator, a door placed beneath the box when it is in position, and door locking means which are releasable, e.g. by feeding the network at a pressure greater than a determined threshold, or under electrical control. The feed pressure threshold is selected in such a manner that the rate at which oxygen is supplied to passengers ensures they can survive during the time required to reach a safe altitude from the maximum cruising altitude of the airplane. This pressure threshold generally lies in the range 3 bars to 4 bars.
The masks are typically placed on the inside side of the door in such a manner as to drop out when the door is opened, leaving the masks connected to the box solely via their respective feed hoses and pull cords for opening individual cocks for feeding the masks with oxygen.
Proper stowage of a plurality of masks in a single box is difficult and takes a long time. It must be certain that when the door of a box is opened the masks will drop out without tangling their feed hoses. It is not appropriate to lock the masks into individual retaining sockets since they would then run the risk of not dropping out when the box opens.
It is an object of the invention to provide a box facilitating stowage of masks without impeding their release.
To this end, there is provided a box whose inside face of the door or whose housing is provided with cradle means defining a retaining position for each mask and with latches that are displaceable responsive to closing the door from a position in which they define mask-retaining sockets to a position in which the latches release the masks.
The latches can be independent, thus making it possible to connect and position all of the masks in succession without those that have already been installed impeding placement of others or running the risk of dropping out. Nevertheless, the latches can be all interconnected, in which case the masks are forced so as to wedge them in their sockets. In either case, a convenient way of moving the latches during closure consists in providing them with resilient means for holding them in the position where they define the sockets and in providing means on the box or the box housing that act as a cam while the door is being closed and push back the latches, overcoming the retaining force of the resilient means.
The above features, and others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a particular embodiment given by way of non-limiting example and from the comparison which is made with a conventional mask box. The description refers to the accompanying drawings.